Mark Tanner: Support short term rentals in Annapolis

Mark Tanner is a retired federal employee who now works as a contractor and technology provider. He has lived in Annapolis for 22 years. (Courtesy photo)

I enjoy contributing to the culture that is Annapolis. I used to just be a resident. Now, I’m able to host people in our short-term rental and show off all the great things about Annapolis, promote local businesses, and take pride in my community.

So, now instead of taking from Annapolis, using city services, and enjoying the entertainment, I’m able to contribute to the city. I bought a home in downtown Annapolis at the peak of the real estate market.

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It was partly a transitional place for my son and a short term investment. As it turned out, it was not a good short-term investment. I began renting it to long-term renters.

Over ten years, with my only maintenance to fix problems and clean when turning it over to a new renter(s), it was deteriorating significantly. The grounds were unkempt and with plastic chairs in the front, it was kind of an eye-sore.

After converting to a short-term rental, it is now cleaned and maintained each week. It’s a well kept property and fits in well with the Presidents Hill community. It’s now a place where Naval Academy families can stay for the weekend and spend some quality time with their midshipmen.

We’ve had couples looking for a quick getaway for a weekend. We’ve had vendors with the boat shows for three consecutive years. We’ve hosted many repeat customers and gotten all five star reviews.

With each guest, we provide recommendations for fine dining, tours, entertainment, and fun depending on their purpose for coming to town. We’re not just providing them with a place to stay, but feel like we’re hosting them.

We do not detract or compete with the other alternatives like hotels and bed & breakfasts. We’re just a different experience. One where they can bring their dog, cook meals for their children, park their car, and walk around the city, taking-in all the great things Annapolis has to offer.

Now, there’s legislation being considered to curtail or eliminate our ability to make this contribution to the city. If we return our property to a long-term rental, those tenants are not going to have the same experience or the same economic impact on the entertainment and retail industry that is vital to Annapolis. We will not have the opportunity to promote local businesses and show off our city.

We are licensed and inspected. We are responsible home owners and hosts. We are contributing to the beauty, charm, and economic vitality that is Annapolis. We are not doing this to get rich. We still have and need full-time jobs. We do this because it’s fun. It’s hard work to maintain the property and seek and receive five star reviews, but it’s still fun.

It’s rewarding to feel like were making a contribution to Annapolis, rather than just residing here. Ask your alderman/woman to please support short term rentals and let us continue to make our city proud.

The short term rental community has come together and we want to continue to be responsible owners. We have attended City Council meetings to express our concerns and desires. I would like to see local businesses, who are benefiting from the tourists and Naval Academy families that we host, to join in and let the city council now we’re not detracting, but contributing to the city.

I’d like our neighbors who have seen the difference in the way our property is maintained and others that are not maintained, let the city council members know what they’ve seen and experienced. Help us, help you.